RAF Association The charity that supports the RAF - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

RAF Association – The charity that supports the RAF family

• I n t r o d u c t i o n

RAF Association – The charity that supports the RAF family

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– – – – – W h a t i s g o v e r n a n c e ?

RAF Association – The charity that supports the RAF family

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– U n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e l e g a l s t a t u s o f a b r a n c h

RAF Association – The charity that supports the RAF family

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R o l e o f t h e b r a n c h c o m m i t t e e

RAF Association – The charity that supports the RAF family

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– – G o v e r n a n c e f r a m e w o r k f o r b r a n c h c o m m i t t e e s

T r u s t e e s ’ s t a t u t o r y d u t i e s

1. Carry out the charitable object 2. Comply with Governance Handbook & all laws 3. Act in the charity’s best interests 4. Ensure the charity is accountable 5. Manage the charity’s resources responsibly 6. Act with reasonable care and skill

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charity- trustee-whats-involved (CC3)

C a r r y o u t t h e c h a r i t a b l e p u r p o s e

• Charitable purpose:

– To promote through comradeship of members, welfare by charitable means of the wider RAF family. – eg fundraising, welfare, comradeship, promotion of the Association

• For the public benefit:

– Must provide a benefit to a sufficiently wide section of the public. – A members’ club where benefits are restricted to members would fail the public benefit test

• Reporting

– Include in annual report – CC guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/c haritable-purposes-and-public-benefit

C o m p l y w i t h l a w & G o v e r n a n c e H a n d b o o k

• Know your Governance Handbook
• Keep your Charity Commission registration up

to date

• File your accounts at CC - should include the

Trustees’ report and IE report

• Know what other laws apply eg GDPR, H&S,

fundraising – seek advice from Area Offices & HQ

• Sign up to receive the CC’s quarterly

newsletter

• Check out the CC website -

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisation s/charity-commission

A c t i n t h e b r a n c h ’ s b e s t i n t e r e s t

• Collective responsibility for decisions – all

committee members, not just officers

• Informed decisions – consider long term as well

as short term, challenge assumptions, duty of prudence – exercise sound judgement, take professional advice

• Make your own decisions about the best way to

carry out the branch’s charitable purpose (CC27)

– Might involve difficult decisions

• Avoid conflicts of interests (CC29)

– Personal interests – Loyalty to any other person or body eg branch club https://www.gov.uk/guidance/manage-a-conflict-of- interest-in-your-charity

• No honoraria or other trustee payments

E n s u r e t h e b r a n c h i s a c c o u n t a b l e

• Comply with statutory accounting and reporting

requirements

– Different statutory rules for England & Wales, Scotland & N. Ireland – Governance Handbook requires all branches to have accounts independently examined

• Must be able to demonstrate that your charity

is complying with the law, well run and effective

– Reporting to regulator and HQ – AGMs

• Collective responsibility of whole branch

committee – including for finances!

• Evidence delegation of responsibilities –

importance of committee minutes

M a n a g e r e s o u r c e s r e s p o n s i b l y

• Act responsibly, reasonably and honestly - duty
• f prudence
• Branch assets must only be used to support or

carry out its charitable purpose – not to support club!

• Avoid exposing the charity’s assets, beneficiaries
• r reputation to undue risk
• Risk management (CC26)

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-manage- risks-in-your-charity

• Property transactions – legal requirements

(CC28) but contact HQ Estates Team - estates@rafa.org.uk

• Reserves policy, fundraising, financial controls

A c t w i t h r e a s o n a b l e c a r e a n d s k i l l

• Duty of care - use reasonable care and skill
• Meet regularly and minute decisions
• Take advice when necessary

– Area Office / HQ – Charity Commission – ICO etc

• All committee members equally responsible
• Consider your committee membership

– Combination of skills ? – Individual capacity issues? – Meeting attendance / participation? – Succession planning? – Induction and training?

RAF Association – The charity that supports the RAF family

• E x a m p l e s o f p o o r g o v e r n a n c e

RAF Association – The charity that supports the RAF family

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W h a t h a p p e n s i f i t g o e s w r o n g ?

RAF Association – The charity that supports the RAF family

G o v e r n a n c e i n p r a c t i c e

RAF Association – The charity that supports the RAF family

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• S o u r c e s o f g u i d a n c e a n d a d v i c e

RAF Association – The charity that supports the RAF family

A n y q u e s t i o n s ?